This collection of articles deals with various aspects of the role of the language laboratory in language teaching, concentrating on laboratory teaching methods and materials. Topics range from evaluation of existing materials to the planning of courses and self-instruction systems, and include suggestions for the building up of a sound-library and using it for a wide range of purposes. The following articles are presented: (1) "Practical Considerations for the Selection and Use of Taped Materials," by A. Fraenkel, M. Underwood and N.F. Whitney; (2) "Listening Comprehension: With Special Reference to 'English Listening Comprehension in the Economic Sciences' Compiled by Heikki Kokkonen and Marjatta Lehtinen," by A. Price; (3) "Long Live the Language Laboratory!" by E. Berggren; (4) "Selbststudium im Sprachlabor. Ein Versuch an der Wirtschaftshochschule Helsinki," by C. Tammisto; (5) "The Use of Self-Instruction in the Teaching of Listening Comprehension -- A Report on a Teaching Experimentation," by T. Sikanen; (6) "The Sound and Video Library: An Interin Report on an Experiment," by P. Riley and C. Zoppis; and (7) "The Language Laboratory in the Post-Audiolingual Era," by D. Mendelsohn. The first three articles offer theoretical and practical advice about preparing or choosing materials and organizing courses suited to the present emphasis on communicative needs of the learner. The articles by Tammisto, Sikanen and Mendelsohn treat the development of self-instruction systems and materials and the possibility of widening the use of the laboratory. (AMH)